The Association of University Presses Constituency Award honors staff at member presses who have demonstrated active leadership and service to the association and the university press community. The award was established in 1991 and is presented each year at the Association’s annual meeting. Recipients should be either current or retired staff from member presses. Current and retired press directors are not eligible.
Qualifications can include:
- service on Association committees, task forces, working and advisory groups, or the Board of Directors;
- contributions to Association’s professional development programs (regional, topical, and annual meetings; , workshops, webinars, and hangouts, etc.);
- a record of mentorship, whether formal or informal, including active contributions to our email discussion forums;
- work with other organizations on the Association’s behalf;
- innovations in scholarly publishing that have had a positive impact on other member presses.
Nominations are reviewed by a subcommittee of the Association’s Board of Directors, who then make a recommendation for the approval of the full Board of Directors.
January 2021
The AUPresses Constituency Award has been presented to an individual from within the AUPresses community since 1991. Nominees and recipients have served the Association in many capacities, and we are deeply grateful for their contributions and for the participation of all Association volunteers. Going forward, to better align with the Association’s focus on advocating for the collective work of the membership, at its October 2020 meeting the Board of Directors decided to suspend the annual Constituency Award and instead prioritize on the Stand UP Award, recognizing individuals from outside the Association who advocate on behalf of University Presses.
February 2026
Having greatly missed celebrating the importance of collegial support and collaborative effort within the community, and in keeping with goals and tactics articulated in the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, the Association is pleased to reactivate this longstanding award program with a call for nominations for 2026.